Pingry School - Blue Book Yearbook (Elizabeth, NJ)

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Class Histor When the class of 1945 set out on the long road to graduation twelve years ago, in 1933, its ranks contained only two members destined to survive the trip and graduate from the class. They were Mahlon Scott and Dick McManus, each a three-letter man and class oflicer today. ln the second grade Don 0,Brien entered the school, and Dick McManus left to return the follow- ing year, along with .lack Lehman, another athlete. Soon the school began to realize the caliber of the class of '45, an.d upon entering the fifth grade we found a new Lower School Building ready and waiting. Be- cause of this shift in plans we became the last class of the Lower School to have the regular two-hour gym period. So it was that on a bleak morning in 1938 some very worried lads tip-toed into the awe-inspiring and much talked-of sanctum sanctorum of Mr. Vars. lt wasn,t long before we found all the rumo1's false and things were not so bad after all. Also there were on hand two newcomers to back us up, Willie Syms, the guy with the perpetual grin, who later left to re-enter in the Third Form, and Bob Nutt, jazz expert from Staten lsland. ln the next year we had two entries, happy-go-lucky Harry Hoyt, speedy outfielder on the diamond, and Dave Miller, bulky center of the varsity football team this year. The eighth grade found Dave Cudlipp, annual Student Council member and honor student, and Al Bauer, class clown. On coming into the Upper School our personnel was enhanced by the arrival of Al Alley, the good looking guy from the mountains of Jersey, who wisely kept his male friends by confining his social activities to that region, Ted Janeway, one of the most obliging fellows in the school, who was, at last report, an ambulance driver overseas, Bob Jones, golf enthusiast and tackle on the gridiron, Red,' McClain, captain of the football and baseball teams, member of the basketball team, class officer and so on, ad infinitum, Harvey Petty, who has been operating a taxi service to all the athletic contests and manages to find space for his friends from Vail-Deane each time, Bob Smith., perpetually on the honor roll and our BLUE BOOK editor, Dick Tracy, a quiet fellow who never fails to get things done, and Kent Traslozc, con- stantly the butt of the fellows' gags and always the guy to grin at them first. 12 To augment this group, the sophomore year added Ed Haime, sketch artist for the year book: Torn Cashmore, track captain and unchanged optimist, Francis Clark, another mental giant from up Hillside way, Ray Comp- ton, president of the Senior class and member of half the other organizations around school, Bud Hildeburn, Sum- mit man, with women galore, Larry Oxley, end on the football team and otherwise active around school, George Perselay, business manager of the school publications, cheer leader, football manager and tennis star, Art Prangley, member of the BLUE BOOK Board, Al Pfeil, player on the valiant soccer squad, Fred Rapell, photog- rapher for the school paper and year book, and Ned Sampson, a quiet and industrious worker. ln the ,lunior year our class acquired Alex Bibby, our Veronica Lake, and history student, Bob Boise, Plainfield boy, who is in the Dramatic Club, Elby Ericson, teller of tall tales and happy extrovert, fohn Foord, literary light in a pretty dark class, .lim Koopntan, another lit- erary student and dramatist in good standing, Bud Pat- ten, perpetual teller of exaggerated and wonderful stories involving the superlative exclusively, and, at mid-year, Dick McClelland, a very quiet and good-natured student. And so, this year, after we had almost reached our goal, we were joined by such notables as Harold Brasher, another red head in an already over-abundant group, Charlie D'Honau, one of the hardest workers ever seen and a member of the Dramatic Club, Gene Haring, a good-natured fellow who was immediately made Vice- President of the Literary Club, Len Hayes, always ready for a laugh, Leo Keefe, the boy who scored a touchdown against Newark, Dick Nelson, another basketball lumi- nary, and Ted Smith, honor student from Westfield. As the records show, the class of 1945 is not prepon- derantly intellectual, and besides the Smith boys, Charles D,Honau, and Francis Clark, not many have earned dis- tinction in studies. It is, however, in activities and par- ticularly on the athletic field that the boys have been outstanding. Five members of our class were on the baseball team in their sophomore year, and such mem- bers as Red', McClain, Scotty, Scott, ,lack Lehman, Dick McManus and Al Alley have helped uphold the honor of the school on the athletic field. The members of the class of 1945 will surely give good account of themselves in this war and life thereafter.

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Seniom

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The Social Side This has been an active year at Pingry with a lot of parties, dances, and Hgagsf, It all started the day 'cldossw Compton took officeg at that moment we knew that this would be no ordinary year. The first party of the year was given by 'llledw McClain after the football game with Newark. There was a big gang at this gathering and it set the example for later parties. It Was then that Al Bauer decided to come stag to later socials. The Football Dance drew a large crowd, and the music was fine, there was, however, some slight misunderstanding about the orchestra be- ing cold, and borrowing some sweaters so they were not asked to return. From there everyone proceeded to a dance at the Hartridge School. This resulted in several Juniors land our own Gene Haringl spending a good deal of time up in Plainfield! Harry Hoyt threw fliterallyl a couple of parties too, one of which was back in December. At this gala affair, the whole Hoyt mansion was taken over, Kent Truslow got his big gift at this party. He didnit think much of it though, and still gets his butts ready-made. ,lack Clemence, our ex-leatherneck, gave a big get-together on New Yearis eve. The Junior- Senior Prom was the next social event and had a large attendance. The hand took quite a few time-outs then and if it hadn't been for a trio of alleged singers, Ray Compton, Dick McManus, and Frank Hickey, our honorary senior-things might have dragged. From the dance, everyone raced up to a party at Al Pfeil's adobe. After the Basketball Dance everyone dashed up to Dick McClelland's party. Here everyone seemed happy-Len Hayes and Dick Nelson were content just to Watch Al Bauer--so you see how easily pleased are Pingry lads. George and uliedl' seemed to be setting themselves up for the future, but no later developments were avail- able at press time. A couple of other parties are reported to be on the way now, and all are certainly anxious to attend fbut no one is anxious to give themlj. At the beginning of Spring Vacation Dave Cudlipp presented a big get-together. Most of us spent the evening singing in the living room while the rest danced in the playroom upstairs. Later the fellows came racing, literally, for the food and left little for the girls who couldnft keep up. So, one can see generally how the social side of the Pingry picture looks. Some of the fellows who did not get along too well with the fair sex maintained a Snafu Club which strug- gled through the year. But most of the fellows were more fortunate and some like D. H. Miller didnlt let little details bother them but skipped merrily on. MYOUR UNCLE DON 13